1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to clamp mechanisms.
2. Description of Related Art
U.K. Patent Specification GB 2137818B discloses a clamp mechanism whereby a clamping force may be applied to a marginal portion of a board to which the mechanism is attached so as to secure the board against extraction from between two opposed flat parallel walls by coaction between a corrugated strip of a resilient material and a rigid elongate body having a multiplicity of risers distributed therealong with the pitch spacing of the crests of the corrugations of the strip element. Upon relative longitudinal displacement between the said elongate body and the corrugated strip the risers contact the corrugations and the combination comprising the mechanism and the board expands until limited against further such expansion by the opposed walls, further relative longitudinal displacement as aforesaid resulting in a flattening compression in the corrugated strip with the result that a high frictional force is developed between the walls and the mechanism and board.
The disadvantage of the aforedescribed arrangement is that in order to hold frictional levels between the risers and the corrugated strip to an acceptably low value enabling the clamp mechanism to be operated, i.e. relative longitudinal displacement as aforesaid to be produced, without undue effort on the part of the user, the corrugated strip must be of suitably low gauge strip material. In the result the clamping pressures are lower than might be wished, and in particular, the thermal contact between a portion of a heat conductive ladder carried by the marginal board portion on its major surface opposite to that to which the clamp mechanism is attached and the adjacent wall surface may be less than satisfactory.